Limbs fell around them from the high winds. Nerutal continued following Acquila's back, trusting the young man to create a path to higher ground.
Even with the storm's cacophony, Nerutal could hear Ellistan puffing behind him. If they didn't find somewhere to shelter soon, the ill soldier might well give out.
The tightening in his back tendons told him they were on a rise, if only a gentle one. The trees lit up with an instant of daylight before an ear-splitting crack of thunder shook the world. Somewhere behind them, a tree fell.
Acquila stopped; Nerutal bumped him.
"Deeper!" Nerutal screamed at Acquila.
Acquila didn't respond except by raising his xiphos in an attack stance.
Nerutal stepped to the side, sword drawn in the same position. In the distance, he made out a shape standing hunched between two tree trunks.
"Damned old eyes," Nerutal muttered. "Acquila, what is it?"
"Stay here, sir," Acquila yelled back.
The soldier stepped between a cluster of small tree trunks and made his way forward. Nerutal felt a surge of adrenaline as the vision in his dream returned. The thing upon the altar. The face in the woods.
He watched as the shape unfolded, standing with its head hunched to its chest. Arms appeared, thrust toward Acquila. The young man threw an arm around the shape's back and then seemed to lift it.
Nerutal turned. Both Ellistan and Darian held out their swords in a fighting stance.
"Darian!" he yelled. "Get in front of Ellistan!"
The old soldier nodded and pushed his way in front.
Nerutal turned back and watched Acquila approach. With each step, the shape in his arms became clearer. It was a woman in tattered clothes. Her long, wet black hair covered her face. She was shivering.
"What are we going to do with her, fool? We can't even shelter ourselves!" Darian screamed.
Nerutal looked ahead. The brush was thinner, night plants taking over from the bushes and brambles. "Doesn't matter now," Nerutal yelled. "Keep going. We need some space!"
He took point, stepping between thin trunks and into the deep forest. The canopy thickened as the smaller trees drew closer together. Old forest growth had spread so thick as to make the heavy rain seem like a mere shower. But the thunder, lightning and the rushing wind high in the trees still filled the world.
As they marched in the deep shadows, Nerutal spied a rise and began heading south to meet it. He struggled to find his footing in the mud. Rivulets of water ran past him. He wondered just how high the flood would rise.
They had been in a flood once before on their way out of the mountains. But that was ages ago and even then, the storm had been nothing like this.
He looked over his shoulder at the rest of the party. Both Ellistan and Acquila were having trouble making their way through the mud. Acquila placed the woman on the ground and held her hand, tugging her forward.
Nerutal continued toward the top of the gentle hill. He slipped and used the gnarled root sticking out of the mud to drag himself to his feet. Another few lengths up the hill and they could rest. A bolt of lightning flashed to the left and a tree exploded from the strike. Nerutal bent down and scrabbled through the mud on all fours.
The top of the hill was as dark as the rest of the forest. Large trees rose from the ground, their canopies filling the sky. The branches were high up on the trunks. Nerutal managed to make it a few more feet before sitting at the base of one. He was covered in mud. Out of breath, he watched Acquila and the woman rise over the top and retreat to another trunk.
Darian's back came into view. He was covered in muck. The old soldier was pulling Ellistan with both hands and yelling something Nerutal couldn't make out. With a final heave, Darian fell, landing on his back. Ellistan's limp body fell beside him.
Nerutal stood, dropping his pack beside the tree. He walked to the pair, lifting Ellistan from the muddy ground and leading him to a tree trunk. Darian stayed on his back, laughing. Ellistan's face was pale, his body limp. Nerutal sat the man's back against the tree trunk and put a hand against the soldier's nose, checking for breath.
He was breathing. Nerutal sighed. At least they didn't have a corpse in the camp. The fever was raging within him again, probably for the last time.
Darian had raised himself and walked to the pair. "He still alive?"
"He lives."
"Barely?"
"Barely."
"He better make it. I don't think my back will ever be the same."
"He slip?"
"Worse," Darian croaked and cleared his nostrils. "He slipped and slid down the hill. Lucky he's not buried in mud."
"Check on Acquila. I want that woman bound. Now. And tell Acquila he's on watch."
"Sir."
Darian left his side. Nerutal sat next to Ellistan and laid the man's head on his shoulder. The rain was cold and the pair shivered. He closed his eyes and slept.
The torrential rain had departed, leaving a mist in its wake. The sun was still hidden behind masses of gray clouds, but beneath the heavy canopy, they would have been in shadow regardless.
Nerutal looked over the side of the hill. What remained of their deep footprints were now small pools of water on the otherwise mud-strewn trail. In the distance, Nerutal heard the sound of the river's swift current.
"He's still alive," Darian said from behind.
"Yes."
"But I think this may be his last night."
Nerutal nodded and turned. Darian was still streaked with mud despite the heavy rain. "We'll camp here."
"Aye. The river may have crested, but best not to take any chances."
Acquila stood against a tree trunk, his eyes closed. The young man could sleep anywhere it seemed. "He stood watch?"
"Yes, sir. Woke me up a while ago for second watch."
Nerutal stared at the woman at the base of the tree. Her long hair still covered her face. Her hands were tied behind her with a short length of hemp rope. Through her ripped shirt, a single breast was visible. "Has the woman moved?"
"Not a bit, sir. She said something, but I couldn't make it out."
He walked past Darian and to the woman. She didn't stir. With deft fingers, he lifted her hair from her face. He let it fall again and stepped back. The words to the strange song bounced in his mind. The voice. The face. The woman bathing in the river.
"Sir?" Nerutal flinched. Darian was standing beside him. "Are you all right?"
"I've seen her before," Nerutal said.
"Where?"
In the river, bathing beneath the moon, he thought. "It doesn't matter," he whispered. "I want her bound at all times."
"Yes, sir. What do you want to do with her? And why in the name of the gods did Acquila grab her?"
"It's not important. She's with us now. We might even be able to use her."
"You mean if we run into another village?"
"Exactly." Nerutal clucked his tongue. He looked up at the dark sky visible through the thick canopy. "Not sure we'll be able to get a fire going."
"No, sir."
"Check on Ellistan. I'll watch the girl."
"Sir," Darian said and walked away.
The woman's shredded, soaked clothes stuck to her skin. Nerutal stared down at her legs. The flesh was dark, clean, unblemished. Her bare feet were smooth, uncalloused. Her hair and clothes were the only parts of her that seemed stressed in any way.
"What are you?" he whispered.
The girl didn't respond.
Jettisoning most of the dried supplies from the village had been a mistake. The remainder of what they had carried went quickly among the men. The woman had woken up, but refused the strips of jerky Acquila offered her.
Ellistan's cough and labored breathing were the only response the man had given them. Nerutal knew it was just a matter of time before the next breath was his last.
They put aside a small bit of the dried in case Ellistan awoke. Stomachs still rumbling with hunger, the men repacked and shiv
ered in the cold.
Nerutal decreed he would take first night watch so Acquila and Darian could sleep. The two men had silently agreed. Although they would never admit it, he could tell they were relieved. They needed the rest more than he.
The sun was down and the rain had ceased altogether. Water continued dripping from the trees and when a sudden gust of wind hit the canopy, the drops came in a torrent. Nerutal sat against the tree trunk directly across from the woman.
She had fallen asleep again or maybe unconsciousness. He tapped the xiphos blade against his left palm. Acquila had given him a problem to solve. "Damned boy," he muttered.
Before they rejoined Alexander's army in the Indus, they had skirmished with a village at the base of the mountains. There had been fifteen scouts then and they had made short work of those who fought them.
A serious-minded soldier named Kellen had found a young woman in the village, while Nerutal and the rest of the men searched for others. Acquila had found Kellen raping her. When Acquila expressed his displeasure, Kellen had slit her throat. The girl couldn't have been more than 13 years old.
The sound of swords clanging brought Nerutal and the rest of the scouts back into the village. Kellen and Acquila faced off near the girl's corpse. Neither responded to Nerutal's shouts to stop.
Kellen's face was set in a sneer. "You're going to learn your place, boy."
Acquila responded by feinting a strike to Kellen's chest. Kellen's sword swiped down in a block. Acquila pushed his blade past Kellen's and sliced into the man's ear.
"Little shit," Kellen said, jumping back. His free hand rose to the side of his head and came away bloody.
Acquila's face remained impassive.
"Betray your brother for an Indus gutter whore?"
He lowered his sword, but Acquila continued to stare with vacant eyes.
Kellen smiled and then thrust forward.
There was an ear-splitting clang as Acquila's hand flipped upwards, sliding across Kellen's blade and knocking him to one side. The younger man side-stepped and smashed a fist into Kellen's temple, felling him to his knees. In one fluid motion, Acquila swung his sword around and met Kellen's neck. The adversary's severed head fell in a jet of blood.
The village center was quiet save the birdsong, insects, and the sound of Acquila's adrenaline-fueled breathing. After a moment, Nerutal stepped forward and placed a hand on the boy's shoulder. Acquila stiffened, but did not attack.
"Soldier?"
"Sir."
"Return to your group. Now."
"Sir."
Acquila turned and joined the throng of men.
Nerutal stared down at the girl. Her naked body was bruised and bloody. Kellen had split her womanhood open by force.
"There will be none of this," Nerutal said loud enough for the rest of the troop to hear. "Anyone found raping women will face Acquila weaponless."
Nerutal had turned to his soldiers. "Understood?"
The men had yelled "Yes, sir" in unison.
He nodded as the memory washed over him.
Did Acquila save you because he couldn't save the other? Did he attack the village because he had to save the sacrifice?
Nerutal stared at the girl. The woman, he reminded himself. She was the one in the river, the one whose very visage tugged at his loins and haunted his dreams. And the song... Would she sing it while he was dreaming of a bloody altar and a terrible beast devouring a young woman?
The trees rushed with another gust of wind and more droplets pattered down from the soaked canopy. Acquila stood against his tree. Ellistan's labored breathing combatted with Darian's soft snores.
He turned back to the woman and froze. Her long black bangs obscured her face except for a slit where he could see one eye. It was closed, but he thought for sure it had been open. Just for an instant.
Shaking off the shivers, he sat back down against the base of the tree and huddled into himself for warmth. He continued staring at the girl's face, waiting for the eye to open or blink.
The green river was placid and gurgling in quiet conversation with the forest. The full moon stared down from a cloudless sky. Nerutal, naked and alone, walked the river-bank. Somewhere in the distance, the woman's voice sang.
Each syllable of her song forced him to take another step. His skin crawled with fear, but he was unable to stop himself from walking toward the sound.
He turned his head and stared into the forest. The branches and leaves transformed into the shadowy, snarling faces of the villagers. The giant's head was laughing, its yellowed teeth clicking together like the breaking of kindling.
The song was louder. Nerutal focused on the river as his legs continued to pump. Dark shapes flitted beneath its glassy surface. Eddies began to swirl, sending waves lapping to the bank. A large bubble of crimson rose and broke with a splash. A severed arm clutching a xiphos floated in its place.
A scream was rising in his throat, but he couldn't let it out. He tried to stop walking, but his legs moved on their own.
Afraid of what else he might see in the river, he looked ahead. His breath caught. The woman stood in the river, her naked chest exposed, long dark braids drifting past her areolae. The very sight of her was enough to awaken his loins. Her eyes glowed silver in the moon's light. His balls ached with need, penis growing and lengthening in anticipation.
The Naiad stepped toward the boulder. Water dripped from her naked skin as she climbed onto the rock. She lay back, her legs splayed. Nerutal watched with longing as she cupped her breasts, her song hitching with pleasure.
As Nerutal neared her, the song quieted and then ceased. She raised her head, silver eyes staring into him, through him. She beckoned him with a hand, her face taut with a smile. Nerutal no longer fought the urge to walk.
"Please me," she seemed to be saying. "Please me and I will show you heaven."
Nerutal reached her, leaned down and kissed her. She licked his lips and then pulled him into her.
He entered her, his manhood drowning in her liquid silk. She moaned and shifted her legs, hands clutching his back. He tasted her lips, the river water on her skin. Her scent and the feel of her drove him to push faster until he was panting, eyes closed.
"Never leave," he whispered. "Never leave me again."
The woman said nothing in return. Her nails dragged down his back. He groaned. Her legs wrapped around him, holding him close. A wave of warm heat rose from his hips, leaving him shuddering. He climaxed with a shout, his body vibrating against hers.
She held him tightly, her nails no longer digging into his flesh. Her hands massaged his tense shoulders, relaxing him. Her legs tightened around him as she bucked. He winced as she squeezed him. His back strained and he moaned in pain.
Her lips were no longer soft and tender, but hard as stone. He tried to pull back from her, but her hands pressed against him. He screamed as her vulva clenched his penis. He opened his eyes from the pain and stared into crimson lights. A narrow, coarse tongue scraped against his chin. He squirmed beneath her embrace, shrieking in terror.
Her grasp slipped on his sweaty body. He raised his head and stared down. The scream in his throat died. The thing from the altar laughed at him in a deep growl.
Ellistan's forehead burned with fever. Nerutal pulled back his hand and sighed. The rain and cold had rejuvenated his illness. Nerutal wondered if the scout would ever wake again.
He sat with his back against the tree and watched Darian fidget with the fire pit. The old soldier always kept a bit of dried kindling in his pack. Nerutal doubted the stuff had survived the rain and wasn't hopeful Darian would be successful in starting a fire.
Nerutal felt exhausted. He'd screamed himself awake before dawn. Darian had been by his side in an instant, xiphos at the ready. When the old soldier had asked him what he dreamed, Nerutal said nothing. The look of expectation in Darian's eyes had unnerved him.
For his part, Acquila had said nothing. The boy had rolled over in his sleep, peered
around the camp, and then drifted off once more. After Nerutal had gathered his wits, he'd watched the young soldier's face contort in the throes of a dream.
"I'll take watch," he'd told Darian. "I'm no longer tired."
Darian had clucked his tongue. "I'm not either, sir. If you don't mind, I'll just lean against that tree there."
"As you wish."
The old soldier had groaned as he put his back against a tree that faced the bound woman.
"Has she made any sound?"
"Aye. Whispers. Mumbles. All in that strange language of hers." Darian had picked at a broken nail. "She doesn't speak the Indus language."
"Or if she does, she's not speaking it."
"Aye. Makes one wonder where she's actually from."
"But she hasn't awakened?"
Darian had shaken his head, eyes closed. "No, sir. As far as I can tell, she's been asleep since we camped."
The older man had begun snoring a moment later.
Nerutal had walked to the woman and listened to her breathing. Her eyes had moved beneath closed lids.
"Dreams," Nerutal had muttered.
He'd stayed awake, sword in hand, as dawn slowly overtook the night. The clouds from the previous evening had parted allowing the sun to shine through.
Another storm looked to be brewing in the east. Nerutal hoped it would move south rather than follow the river valley. He wasn't sure his men could stand another deluge.
Darian struck his flint over and over again, trying to get a spark to catch on his kindling. The older man cursed with each failed attempt. Nerutal smiled.
"Perhaps Acquila will find us something to eat that doesn't require cooking?"
"Sure, sir. If you want to gag on poisonous berries. Remember how Tilia died?"
"All too well."
Darian grunted in response.
Acquila had awakened looking rested and ready for the day. Nerutal was envious of the young man. After assessing their situation, Acquila had mumbled he was going into the forest to forage and headed away from the camp.
Legends of Garaaga Page 8